Study: Most Pain Patients and Doctors Back Medical Marijuana Legalization

There is a growing body of evidence that supports the use of medical marijuana as a treatment option for numerous medical conditions, from easing the side effects of cancer and chemotherapy treatment to treating seizures and chronic pain. As more evidence emerges supporting cannabis as a legitimate medical therapy, there is an increasing push from the public and medical professionals to legalize the widespread use of medicinal marijuana in the U.S.

There has been a vocal community of people who say marijuana isn’t medicine. That community continues to grow smaller as more Americans, including doctors, say medical marijuana should be legalized nationwide. Not only that, but the medical cannabis community is also expressing support for changing how patients pay for their medication, suggesting that insurance companies should be the ones covering the costs of therapeutic marijuana.

Pain Patients and Medical Doctors Support the Nationwide Legalization of Medicinal Cannabis

A new federally funded study from the American Medical Association shows that a majority of patients with chronic pain and the doctors who treat those patients support federally legalizing therapeutic cannabis. Additionally, those same patients and doctors suggest that insurance companies should be footing the bill for those treatments.

The study indicates that 71 percent of chronic pain patients and 59 percent of physicians support legalizing medicinal cannabis nationwide. There was a shared majority of those surveyed who say they support having health insurance providers cover the cost of medical marijuana treatments. Just over half of chronic pain patients approve of allowing states with medical cannabis programs to subsidize access to marijuana for low-income individuals.

The study’s lead author, Elizabeth Stone, says, “Depending on what state you’re in, it could be that medical cannabis is legal, it could be that medical and recreational use are legal, it could be that neither is legal, but some things are decriminalized. Overall, people with chronic pain were more supportive of the policies that would expand access to medical cannabis, and providers were more supportive of the policies that would restrict access to medical cannabis.”

The Current Legal Status of Cannabis

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 38 states, the District of Columbia, and three U.S. territories allow medicinal cannabis. Studies continue to show the effectiveness of cannabis as a treatment option for those with chronic pain and other debilitating conditions. However, most still consider therapeutic marijuana on the fringe of modern Western medicine. Seventy percent of survey respondents say they think that medical schools should require cannabis treatment training for non-cancer-related pain.

Technically, there is little guidance in the medical community on how to treat medical conditions with therapeutic marijuana. Many doctors don’t have the experience in cannabis products to recommend suitable cannabis products, modes of consumption, and dosing instructions to help patients navigate the medical marijuana landscape. It seems there is a need for more training and education in the medical community so doctors wanting to help patients with chronic pain can point them in the right direction and help them find the products they need at the concentrations that will manage their condition.

Finally, the new study noted that those most in favor of legalizing medicinal cannabis were those most in favor of expanding access to others. Physicians who had never recommended cannabis therapy to patients were the group least in favor of legalization nationwide.

There have been several recent studies and scientific reports that suggest cannabis treatments may improve patient quality of life and that those beneficial wellness effects get sustained over time. There have also been studies that indicate marijuana may be a valid pain-relieving tool that could help decrease the number of people using or abusing opioids for medical and non-medical reasons.

The Nationwide Cannabis Debate

The debate comes at a strange time in American history. The Drug Enforcement Administration sits poised to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I illegal drug to a Schedule III tier drug, and more states could be jumping on the bandwagon to legalize medicinal and recreational marijuana. Although the official decision has been delayed until after the November election, many in the cannabis and medical communities are waiting with bated breath to see the federal government finally take some action on marijuana reform, even if the policy doesn’t go as far as to legalize the substance like many supporters want.

However, even reclassification may be a small win for the medical and research communities. Currently, the federal prohibition on marijuana makes it highly challenging for anyone to study cannabis, even though it is legal in many local jurisdictions. Those in the scientific community must still jump through bureaucratic hoops to obtain marijuana for research purposes because it is a Schedule I drug. Also, the cost of that marijuana, which can only come from federally approved suppliers, can be astronomical. Marijuana may be gaining more widespread acceptance, but it is still difficult to study.

There is hope from those in the medical and research communities that reclassification could pave the way to new and more extensive research by making cannabis easier and cheaper to access. More medical research pointing to the efficacy of cannabis, in addition to the growing support of marijuana reform at the national level, could be the keys to shifting marijuana from a fringe treatment to a more mainstream and accepted form of drug therapy for people suffering from chronically painful medical conditions.

Ready to Read More?

The latest study showing incredible support for medical marijuana indicates just how far the country has come in terms of understanding and accepting cannabis as a legitimate therapeutic tool for those suffering debilitating medical and mental health conditions. Want to learn more about the latest cannabis news across the country and around the world? Then you’ve come to the right place: Cannabuter Digest. We are your primary source for cannabis news, recipes, and product reviews.